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Review Papers | Dentistry | India | Volume 12 Issue 4, April 2023
Awareness and Implications of Proper Ergonomics among Dentists
Dr. Shalmali Karnik
Abstract: Introduction: The incidence of work - related musculoskeletal pain is quiet high in dental professionals. The most frequent musculoskeletal pain occurs in spine, back, shoulders, elbows and hands. Ergonomics in an applied science concerned with designing products and procedures for maximum efficiency and safety. The application of ergonomics in dentistry could not only provide safety benefits but a practitioner might also improve performance objectives through greater productivity. Appropriate ergonomic design is essential to avoid repetitive strain injuries, which can progress to long - term disability over time. Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the awareness about proper ergonomic practices and its implications among the practicing dentists. Materials and methods: A cross sectional survey was conducted among all the 207 practicing dentists belonging to different fields including Post Graduate students. Non practicing dentists were excluded. Data collection was done by the means of structured questionnaire for ergonomic factors. The variables evaluated were gender, age, professional background [BDS or MDS], awareness, no of clinical hours, presence of pain, measures taken to prevent the injury or pain. Results: 88.9% of the dentist were aware about the ergonomic principles but only 29.5% of them followed the principles. It was observed that 67.7% dentists experienced neck pain, 52.2% experienced shoulder pain, 52.7% experienced upper back pain, 51.7% experienced lower back pain. Conclusion: Present study concludes that the majority of the dentists were aware about ergonomics, but somehow tend to overlook it. Implementation of ergonomic practices is important to prevent the risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders in future.
Keywords: ergonomics, musculoskeletal disorders, health hazards, dentist
Edition: Volume 12 Issue 4, April 2023,
Pages: 621 - 624